Episode 311: Raquel Welch

Fozzie goes to group therapy to become more assertive. He says he won't do his monologue because he doesn't need to use humor to buy friends anymore. When Kermit tells the audience that there won't be a monologue, Fozzie misinterprets their cheers as a sign that they love him, and he goes on anyway. Later, Raquel tells him that he's very sexy, and she sings him a song that boosts his confidence to the point that he decides to write "the world's funniest joke".

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Songs/Sketches

Episode

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Description

Cold Open: Scooter finds Raquel Welch learning Shakespeare to try to change her image. Scooter reminds her that "on this show you don't have to dress up in any of those scanty, revealing costumes... Not unless you really want to!" They are met with the response of a hoard of male Muppets at the door begging, "Oh, please want to!"

After Kermit introduces Raquel, the jealous Miss Piggy comes onstage to gripe. When Kermit tells her that tonight's show features "one of the sexiest ladies alive," Piggy reminds him that they get that every night. Then, just as Kermit is introducing Raquel as "curvaceous" and "desirable," Scooter enters to inform the frog that she is changing her image.

Raquel's opening number proves she hasn't changed her image too much when she dances and fights with a Giant Spider while singing "Baby It's Me."

Backstage, Kermit and Floyd watch Raquel's "too perfect" performance. Piggy enters to question the supposed "change of image," to which Kermit responds, "Well, she might be changing her image, but you wouldn't want her to change the rest of that."

Fozzie, who was supposed to be next onstage, arrives back late from group therapy. Fozzie is trying to learn to become assertive. His group leader told him to be more aggressive, but it does not always work for the bear.

Gonzo, introduced as a complete contrast to Raquel Welch (in addition to every man, woman and child on earth), sings "Jamboree."

Fozzie refuses to perform his monologue, claiming that he will not "buy friends with laughter." He determines that his problem was his need to tell jokes. Floyd agrees, saying that was their problem, too.

When the announcement that Fozzie will not perform his act that night is met with thunderous applause, Fozzie assumes that they are applauding for him and decides to go on. It's too late, though. Kermit has already introduced the next act...

At the Dance: Determined to perform his act, Fozzie interrupts the sketch, but the dancers keep stealing his jokes.

Backstage, Fozzie cannot bring himself to go talk to Raquel Welch. Scooter encourages him to do so, and the enamored go-fer rubs his face where Raquel has already kissed him.

When Raquel comes down from her dressing room, she tells Fozzie that one of the main reasons she wanted to be on The Muppet Show is so she could work with him. She holds Fozzie close, and sings "Confide in Me" to him.

Fozzie, now confident in his abilities, shows Kermit "the greatest joke in the world!" Kermit disagrees, but all is well because Fozzie has a better one.

Miss Piggy goes to Raquel's dressing room to welcome her to the show. They discuss the burden of being an international sex goddess. Piggy soon learns, though, that Raquel has prepared a solo number.

Miss Piggy joins Raquel on stage for said "solo" number. Together they sing "I'm a Woman."

Kermit determines that, although Raquel may not have changed her image on the show, she has certainly changed the Muppets' image.

Notes

The CBS show 60 Minutes visited the Muppet Show in an episode which aired on March 17, 1979. This was the episode filming at the time of their visit, and the 60 Minutes piece shows behind-the-scenes footage of the opening dialog between Kermit and Miss Piggy, the Swedish Chef sketch, and the production numbers "Jamboree", "Confide in Me" and "I'm a Woman".

With the exception of "Jamboree" and the closing credits, Statler and Waldorf don't make any critical comments during the episode, though they're harsh about Gonzo's performance: "I've seen wars started over less than that." "Wrong! There's nothing less than that." The old codgers, rather quiet in this episode, don't even appear during the theme song; Beauregard appears in their place. This is the second time that Statler and Waldorf make just two appearances on the show; the first was in episode 115.

This is the first episode from the third season to be released on DVD.

In an interview with Jim Henson, he discusses The Muppet Show's "audience": "When we had Raquel Welch in the studio, we had a good 150 guys from neighboring studios, but it wasn't an official audience."